Chances are, what you’re doing at this very minute is killing you. That’s right, sitting down is killing you. As Nilofer Merchant tells us today at TED, people sit 9.3 hours a day, more than they even sleep. As you sit, you don’t burn fat, and inactivity causes 10 percent of colon and breast cancer. You could say that sitting has become the smoking of our generation.

Merchant (who writes online about getting ready for her talk) proposes a simple solution: Take more walking meetings. Taking care of your body and being more productive no longer have to be in conflict with one another. For a healthier, happier life Merchant takes meetings somewhere between 20 and 30 miles a week, proving that literally getting out of the box can make you more productive.

Nilofer Merchant’s talk is now available for viewing. Watch it on TED.com»